This was such a fun mystery! I was happy to be back with Lily and Henry after binging the first 2 books, and Martha was really compelling to me. I loved the mystery here and how it tied back into previous books/reveals. The writing was great and I honestly have no complaints!

This one got me good!! I love how the characters in Swanson’s books are so sick and twisted that you simply can not wait to see how they are either A) gonna get away with it or B) get caught and stopped. This one had plenty of both!
It kept me on the edge of my seat, rooting for Lily, but there was a small piece missing. It’s been awhile since I last read a Swanson novel…but I wish I understood more of Lily’s character. Maybe this was explained more in the first novel but I could have used a little refresher. What drives her and what’s her goal? I felt like I wanted more from her character. I still gave it a strong 4 stars!

Fast and clever mystery thriller.

Shortly into their marriage, librarian Martha Ratliff starts to suspect that her husband, Alan, is a serial killer. He travels a lot as a salesman, but he'd never given her a reason to become suspicious. Then she finds a streak of blood on one of the shirts he had worn on a recent trip to a conference in Denver. Martha is good at research, and she starts to investigate any links between crimes that happened in the cities her husband had gone. What she discovers, 5 suspicious deaths, leads her to turn to her old college friend, Lily Kintner. Lily had previously helped her with a difficult situation involving a man and Martha needs her again.

This went in an unexpected direction, but I enjoyed it tremendously as the twisty plot unfolded. I liked the main characters of Lily and Henry as always because they are so different to the normal hero types in this genre. The pacing was good and the writing was excellent. Easy to read in a single sitting because it is hard to put down.

I was able to listen to the audiobook while following along in the e-book ARC (provided by the publisher) and the 6 different narrators really added to the production quality as their voices gave life to each of the characters. I love it when different narrators are used in audio making it easy to listen as one can easily figure out which character is speaking.

Note - this is the third in a series featuring Lily Kintner and Henry Kimball. I've read the previous ones and feel that this is a series that should be read in order. Can't wait for Swanson's next book.

Normally Swanson keeps me on my toes, however this one did not live up to the hype for me. I figured out the suspect way too soon and the characters were very shallow to me. I will still happily recommend to my thriller mystery patrons, just not one of my favorites.

I absolutely loved The Kind Worth Killing and while I overall liked The Kind Worth Saving, I was overly annoyed by the endless use of weird dirty limericks that honestly did nothing to add to Henry's story or character. SO all that to say I understandably went into A Talent for Murder rather hesitantly when it was chosen for as a bookclub read for June, but I'm happy to report that it was quick, enjoyable and I enjoyed my time with it. Swanson's books can sometimes be hit or miss for me, but I really liked my time with this one and would love to read more from Lily's perspective.

I wanted to love this one but it just didn't pass muster for me. The writing was fairly weak (not as strong as I remember from other Swanson books?) and honestly the plot just meandered. I also really do not understand how the title relates to the story. There was a lot of potential but ultimately this fell really flat for me. I also thought that Lily's choices at the end of the book were asinine and I did not like how the story resolved, particularly with the Henry Kimball character. Backstory was alluded to but never explained. This one was just....flat, all the way around.

Ever since he wrote A Kind Worth Killing, Peter Swanson has been one of my absolute favorite authors. That book was spectacular and you just know when you grab one of his novels, it's going to be a treat.

A Talent for Murder is his latest book, and it was a great four-star read. In it, Peter brings back Lily Kintner, plus private investigator Henry Kimball characters from A Kind Worth Killing.

I cannot recommend Peter’s books enough, they are so fantastic. Clear your schedule because once you start reading, you won’t want to stop!

Martha Ratliff conceded long ago that she’d likely spend her life alone. She was fine with it, happy with her solo existence, stimulated by her job as an archival librarian, constantly surrounded by thought-provoking ideas and the books she loved. But then she met Alan, a charming and sweet-natured divorcee with a job that took him on the road for half the year. When he asked her to marry him, she said yes, even though he still felt a little bit like a stranger.

A year in and the marriage was good, except for that strange blood streak on the back of one of his shirts he’d worn to a conference in Denver. Her curiosity turning to suspicion, Martha investigates the cities Alan visited over the past year and uncovers a disturbing pattern — five unsolved cases of murdered women.

Is she married to a serial killer? Or could it merely be a coincidence? Unsure what to think, Martha contacts an old friend from graduate school for advice. Lily Kintner once helped Martha out of a jam with an abusive boyfriend and may have some insight. Intrigued, Lily offers to meet Alan to find out what kind of man he really is . . . but what Lily uncovers is more perplexing and wicked than they ever could have expected.

✦ 𝘘𝘶𝘪𝘤𝘬 𝘚𝘺𝘯𝘰𝘱𝘴𝘪𝘴
A newlywed librarian reaches out to an old friend for help when she begins to suspect that the man she just married might be a murderer.

✦ 𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 :
• The Kind Worth Killing
• cats named Gilbert
• long game revenge
• multiple POVs
• morally grey characters
• full cast audiobooks
• the twistiest twists

Lily + Henry are back! This is the 3rd book in The Kind Worth Killing series, & although this could be enjoyed as a standalone, I highly recommend reading the first 2 books first! Not only because they are SO good, but it gives a lot of context as well.

Told in Swansons signature 3 parts, it’s perfectly paced, brilliantly layered & so twisted. This one seems like a straightforward is-he-or-isn't-he story until, just when I think I know where the story is going, another unexpected revelation makes me question everything I thought I knew.

I definitely recommend this killer read 😉 At just under 300 pages, this one can easily be binged in a day! A perfect choice for a summer thriller.

My only complaint is I wish it was longer! I really hope this isn’t the last we see of this dynamic duo - I would jump without hesitation at the chance to read another TKWK book!

thanks to @netgalley, @williammorrowbooks + @peterswanson for the opportunity to read this ARC ◡̈

I really enjoy psychological thrillers/mysteries where character is more important than plot. So, I liked knowing who the real killer was early in the story. The writing was fine and in spite of some big implausibilities, I fully enjoyed this story. My only issue is that I had not read the first two in the series and felt I really needed insight into Lily’s backstory to fully appreciate her and her actions in the ending.

A Talent For Murder is the third book in a series written by Peter Swanson. I read it not knowing that it was part of a series and other readers can do the same. There are a few brief mentions of events in the other books but nothing you must know to enjoy reading this newest book. Martha has been rolling along living her life and is perfectly content with how it's been going. Then she meets and ends up marrying Alan. This is when her life begins to take an unanticipated turn. This is a dark book with plenty of twists and turns to keep the pages turning rapidly. Read and enjoy!

Title: A Talent for Murder by Peter Swanson
Publication Date- 06/11/24
Publisher- William Morrow
Overall Rating- DNF at 30 percent

Review: Review copy given to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

*sigh*

There was nothing offensive about this book so I will give it a 3 star review purely out of respect of what it takes to write a novel.

One of the first things I want to say is you really cannot read this without reading the other two in the series first even though they are virtually unrelated. So here’s the problem. The first 30 percent is a flex about how there are characters from the previous two books in this one. Literally that’s it. Then the premise gets introduced that our MC’s husband may or may not be a serial killer. I just feel like at 30 percent in we should be doing more investigating, there were virtually no interactions between the MC and her husband except one where she may or may not have seen blood on his shirt. I did not want to spend 30 percent of a book being reminded that there are characters I already know about and nothing meaningful.

Like I was saying above, too much of the story is telling and not showing. There was literally no showing of anything and just telling. I’m really frustrated because this premise was so good, I was so excited and how cool would it be for this old f**ked up crew to investigate this ladies husband to find out if he is a serial killer. I obviously didn’t finish the book so maybe he is. I actually DNF’d this like 3 other times because I really was curious about the premise but everything else was so bad I just didn’t care anymore.

I’m sorry this review has been so negative I really don’t have anything good to say which is unlike me. I will say, the first book in this series is good, if for some reason you haven’t read that one, go read it and then stop there.

Love this book. Love this series. Back for the 3rd time and better than ever. Way to go. Love this book. Love this series. Back for the 3rd time and better than ever. Way to go.

This is my first Peter Swanson book and I was very underwhelmed. I have never read a book that told who the killer was in the middle of the book. There is another first for me, but it would be a spoiler. The book fell flat for me unfortunately. It is a quick read at 267 pages however.

Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for the advanced digital copy of the book.

In Peter Swason's "A Talent for Murder," the lives of two women who met in graduate school—Martha Ratliff and Lily Kintner— are destined to intersect in unexpected ways. Martha is a librarian who, having previously resigned herself to never marrying, accepts the proposal of a salesman, Alan Peralta. However, Martha is perturbed by the fact that, after a year together, there are aspects of her husband's personality that remain a mystery. Meanwhile, back in their grad school days, Lily helped Martha extricate herself from a toxic relationship with the arrogant and manipulative Ethan Saltz, Ethan is not one to forgive a slight, and he is furious at Lily for meddling in his business.

Years later, Martha decides once again to request Lily's assistance. She wants Lily to help her find out what Alan is up to when he is away on business. Martha has found blood on one of Alan's shirts, and in some of the places where he has been selling novelty items, the bodies of murdered women have been found. The cases remain unsolved. Lily, who is tough and adventurous, agrees to look into what Alan is doing during his lengthy absences from home.

There are few characters to root for in this bleak tale. Martha is indecisive and weak-willed. Lily is determined to take matters into her own hands when the police fail to mete out justice. Ethan is a sociopath. Since Swanson clearly lays out his characters' motivations and flaws, the suspense is minimal. In addition, the author relies a bit too much on coincidences, and he throws in a few too many contrived twists. "A Talent for Murder" is an engrossing, fast-paced, but depressing work of fiction about sick people who believe that they can kill with impunity.

Lily Kitner and Henry Kimball #3

I didn't realize this was third in the series when I requested, but thrilled to see it!

In this installment, we meet Martha Ratliff, a lonely librarian who decides to say "Yes" to Alan Peralta. He seemed so very sweet and easy going. She wasn't especially attracted to him, but at least he kept her company!

Later, Martha's imagination goes wild and she starts obsessing over Alan's frequent business trips. Just what is Alan up too?! 😱

I flew through the first half of the book. After Martha starts suspecting Alan, it is off to the races. There is a twist (Game changer) that may give you pause. I do admit the second half had me skimming a bit. It was somewhat predictable with too much telling/ re-hashing of events. However, Swanson always has a way of keeping the pages flipping until the very last page!

I felt like Martha was a very boring character to follow. I’ve also come to the conclusion that The Kind Worth Killing series is not my favorite. I read this book pretty quickly, but I didn’t really care too much about the characters, I just was a bit nosy on how things would end. And not to my surprise, I was very underwhelmed. I might just read this authors stand alone titles and give this series a rest.

The story begins with Josie Dixon, a polyamorous teacher, meeting a man at a conference at Shepaug University in Connecticut. They get to talking, and that night they share a bed. Then tragedy strikes. It’s our first indication that a predator may be at large.

Martha Ratcliff is an archival librarian, used to living alone but open to a relationship if the right man comes along. When she meets Alan Peralta, a traveling salesman, it seems that he might suit her. He’s kind, and she quickly grows to like him a great deal; she doesn’t love him, but perhaps that’ll come in time. An additional point of merit is that Alan is away a good deal of the time, selling his T-shirts, ties, and badges (most decorated with an appropriately succinct but amusing phrase). Martha will therefore still have her alone time, something she values. Yes, this’ll work well, she decides. They marry and settle into a comfortable routine.

But one night, she happens to be looking out of her bedroom window when he returns from one of his trips. She watches as he steps out of the car and visibly – she thinks – prepares himself to enter the house. What is it that she senses in that moment? It’s hard to describe, and yet it somehow sets her on edge. Then, following a subsequent trip, Martha finds a stain on his shirt, which had been put out for washing. Is that a bloodstain? It’s hard to be sure, but with this discovery adding to her existing unease, she starts to wonder whether Alan is quite the man she believed him to be.
These suspicions cause Martha to undertake some research, looking for reports of any incident that might have been reported at, or close to, the venue Alan last attended. Disturbingly, she finds something. This spurs her on to carry out additional searches, looking for similar reports close to other venues he’d recently attended. Shockingly, there seems to be a spate of fatal incidents involving women. She’s not ready to challenge Alan yet or to report her concerns to the police – she doesn’t want to end her marriage because of a vague feeling and, perhaps, a series of coincidences. She does, however, concoct a plan.

Lily Kintner had been a friend of hers at college, where she’d helped Martha escape from the grasp of a controlling partner. Though she hasn’t spoken to her in some years, she contacts Lily with a view to enlisting her help. Lily is living with aged parents and is somewhat bored. Soon, she’s agreed to assist her friend in covertly investigating what Alan gets up to when he’s away on business. In fact, Lily is a wonderfully complex character: she’s intelligent, determined, and also something of a sociopath. Lily also engages a friend of hers, Henry Kimball, a private investigator and former police officer, to assist her.

The book is broken into three sections and is constructed in such a way that we are to view events through different eyes in each section. This works extremely well. Not only is the perspective changed, but the mood is significantly altered too. It almost feels like three separate stories, each linked by a series of common events. The tension, too, ramps up as it becomes clear that what we’ve learned so far certainly doesn’t represent the whole picture. It’s a book that at first interested me but then gradually dragged me deeper into its thrall. By the end, I was reluctant to part company with the story at all, such was the power it had gained over me. I now know that this is the third book the author has penned featuring Kintner and Kimball – I plan to seek out the others very soon.

A Talent for Murder is the third in the series and just as the first two I loved this one and flew through it. This is told in multi POVs and while the reader is pretty much aware of who is the main culprit fairly early on this is one suspenseful and thrilling read. I absolutely love Henry and Lily, they have such great chemistry and who doesn’t love some morally gray characters.
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This is a super fast paced read and there are some really shocking twists thrown in there which makes this even more fun of a read.
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This series is great for anyone looking for reverse who-dun-its, little bit of cat and mouse thrillers and some morally gray characters. I absolutely love this series. I am highly recommending it!
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A Talent for Murder was just released on 6/11. Be sure to check this one out! Huge thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow and Peter Swanson for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This started off so strong i was excited but about half way through it fizzled and did not like the ending. Overall disappointing. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher

Wow, just wow- Peter Swanson! What did I just read! You are the king of thrillers! A Talent for Murder had me hooked from page 1! A thriller full of twists and turns!